Transfer of technology and know-how for the initiation of fermentation gas net feed-in pilot projects.

Target group communication of the technical possibilities of fermentation gas net feed-in. Information preparation and reduction in planning complexity. Support and networking of potential future plant operators. Establishing a service office as contact point.

Short Description

Status

completed

Summary

The study deals with the feed-in of fermentation gas to the Austrian natural gas grid. The main advantage of the feed-in of fermentation gas to the grid is the increase of possible fields of application; Besides, the substitution of fossil natural gas is also an important advantage. Above all the feed-in of fermentation gas to the grid is an essential contribution to the development of a sustainable energy system.

In previous scientific projects the theoretical basis for fermentation gas net feed-in has already been accomplished. However, planning of plants for fermentation gas feed-in is still a hard and very complex procedure. As a consequence, only a single, very small plant was carried out in Austria so far.

Goal of the project "technology and know-how transfer of biogas net feed-in" was to initiate further pilot-projects of biogas net feed-in through know-how transfer. This was achieved by knowledge transfer and networking of institutions and people, which are able to plan and operate plants for biogas net feed-in. The project started in February 2006 and has been completed at the end of March 2007.

In the course of the project a comprehensive internet-information platform concerning biogas net feed-in (www.biogas-netzein­speisung.at/) has been realised. The structure of the information platform is orientated on the flow of a project-development and explains every aspects of the planning.

An integrated planning tool provides a first cost calculation of a net feed-in plant. The number of hits with more than 2.500 visitors per month shows that the information platform is very well accepted.

Part of the target group communication were information events in Austria with more than 200 visitors informed directly concerning biogas net feed-in. 30 experts attended an excursion to the currently world's largest plant for biogas net feed-in in Pliening near Munich.

During the last months biogas net feed-in has become an important media theme. The numerous media coverage is also a consequence of the information activities done within this project. Altogether the project is a successful example of how effective technology-transfer can increase activities of target groups and furthermore to an advanced market introduction of innovative technology.

In Austria, up to now there exist only two plants for biogas net feed-in. Besides a pilot-project existing since 2005 in Pucking/OÖ, end of June 2007 a plant in Bruck/Leitha started with a biogas capacity of 100m³ per hour.

Four more plants of biogas net feed-in are at the moment in the planning stage:

Leoben/Stmk.: pilot-project on the location of a sewage plant

Utzenaich/OÖ: bio-refinery and methane gas feed-in

Weitendorf/OÖ: production plant for biological fuel

Wals/Sbg.: biogas net feed-in (cooperation with Salzburg AG)

Conclusion

The positive results of this project and the planned pilot projects demonstrate the high interest in biogas net feed-in also in Austria. However, the still missing public support system blocks the market introduction of this eco-friendly technology.

After introduction of an attractive support system it is assumed, that biogas net feed-in becomes a widely accepted energy technology. This would be an important contribution to the reduction of CO2 and for building up a sustainable energy system.